The Art of Engine Sound Design: How Manufacturers Craft Vehicle Acoustics

Automakers have been pumping sounds into our cars for years. The development of engine sound designs and acoustics has come a long way.

In the early days of the automotive industry, if your car didn’t make the noise naturally, it wasn’t going to make it at all. Today’s vehicles have sounds that are developed and enhanced by automotive engineers to make them sound better, more visceral, and more exciting. In some cases, these sounds are added to improve the safety of the vehicle, but most of the time, it’s to help the driver feel the experience.

The new M5 was transparent

The latest development of the BMW M5 on the F10 chassis changed things for many drivers. The added insulation was effective enough at keeping noises out that the M5 lost the incredible engine sounds that drivers enjoyed in previous versions of the car. This led the BMW engineers to change things and play the engine sounds through the car’s stereo system, giving the driver more sounds to enjoy. The engine sounds heard inside the car are determined by the engine load and rpm level. Although some real engine notes are still audible, the driver now has the recording in the stereo system, which makes driving the car more enjoyable.

Lexus took things farther

When Lexus developed the LFA, they wanted to ensure drivers had the full experience of the incredible V10 engine. This mean they had to turn to engine sound design to bring the right sounds into the cabin. To ensure this would happen, Lexus contracted Yamaha to create the engine sounds desired. The Yamaha team that developed the sounds and the right solution came from the musical instrument division of the e company. They developed the sounds for the cabin and the driver by creating a sound generator and directing all of the V10’s sounds to the driver.

The crowd killer with amazing sounds

Ford created several ways to increase the sounds coming out of the Mustang GT’s V8 engine. They did things a little more naturally than BMW or Lexus, creating a car that is well-known as a crowd killer because of its loud engine sounds. This Mustang has a resonator pipe between the engine and the firewall. The Boss 302 has a second pair of exhaust pipes behind the rocker panel,s and owners can remove the restrictor plates to open the exhaust and create an incredible sound that makes pedestrians take cover.

A loud Volkswagen for some fun

The Volkswagen GTI has been equipped with a resonator tube in the past, something the brand calls a “Soundaktor.” This system has an audio file stored to play during some throttle changes and the noise from under the hood can add to the mix. This means the VW GTI is a bit of a combination between the Mustang and the M5, giving you the best of both and the loudness that invokes and incredible adrenaline rush.

Porsche is a little more selective

Some drivers of the Porsche 911 and Panamera GTS want their cars to be quieter during cruising. The engine sound design used to give these cars the desirable performance involves a bit of technology and a tube housing a diaphragm and a valve to deaden the sounds during regular cruising . This allows drivers to enjoy a quieter note when on the roads. When these vehicles are put in sport mode, the valve opens, and the diaphragm goes to work to amplify the mechanical sounds and give the driver a much more exciting ride on the track.

Electric cars add sounds for safety

As exciting as it can be to have cars with louder sounds for performance and fun, electric vehicles are nearly silent and hard to hear when coming to an intersection. This means it’s important to add some fake sounds to them to make them sound like regular gas-powered cars to alert pedestrians of the vehicles as they approach. Many sound engineers have worked to create a relatively natural sound in electric vehicles, ensuring they are loud enough to warn pedestrians in the area that these cars are present and driving along the streets.

Vehicle engine sound design is a science and an art form that allows drivers to enjoy the sounds of performance vehicles while pedestrians can feel safer around electric vehicles that would otherwise be nearly silent. These added sound notes give newer models more exciting qualities to ensure drivers can have the right sound at the right time during their ride. Are the sounds coming from your vehicle real or fake?